Flexible pacifier

Abstract

An infant pacifier is provided including a nipple, a bond ring and a handle. The nipple has a shaft and a base, each made of a flexible membrane and formed integrally with one another. A rim is formed on the base of the nipple adjacent its outer periphery. The bond ring is generally planar and annular shape and engages the rim. The handle includes a mounting ring and an elongate grip located concentric with the mounting ring. The mounting ring engages the bond ring and the rim. The bond ring and the mounting ring are attached to the nipple, preferably by overmolding the nipple and bond ring to one another and sonic welding the handle to the nipple.

We claim:  
     
       1. A pacifier comprising: 
       a nipple including a base and a shaft, the base comprising a membrane having an inner periphery, an outer periphery and a rim attached to the outer periphery of the membrane, the shaft having a tip at one end and being attached to the inner periphery of the membrane at the opposite end;  
       a bond ring attached to the rim and having an inner periphery defining an opening that is generally coextensive with the outer periphery of the membrane; and  
       a handle engaging to the bond ring, the handle having a grip located inward from the inner periphery of the bond ring.  
     
     
       2. The pacifier of claim  1  wherein the membrane is flexible. 
     
     
       3. The pacifier of claim  2  wherein the membrane includes at least one fold adjacent the inner periphery of the membrane. 
     
     
       4. The pacifier of claim  1  wherein the bond ring has a generally planar, closed-curve-shape symmetrical about at least one axis that lies in a plane of the bond ring and passes through the center of the bond ring. 
     
     
       5. The pacifier of claim  4  wherein the bond ring is annular in shape and the shaft is concentrically located with respect to the bond ring. 
     
     
       6. The pacifier of claim  4  wherein the handle is generally elongate and is connected at opposite ends to the bond ring at end points of a line that connects diametrically opposed points on the bond ring. 
     
     
       7. The pacifier of claim  6  wherein the grip is located equidistant from opposite ends of the handle. 
     
     
       8. The pacifier of claim  2  further including a plurality of apertures within the membrane, the apertures being spaced apart from the inner and outer peripheries of the membrane. 
     
     
       9. The pacifier of claim  8  wherein each aperture is defined by a flange formed integrally with the membrane, the flange comprising a thickened region of the membrane. 
     
     
       10. The pacifier of claim  4  wherein the handle includes a mounting ring adapted to engage the bond ring. 
     
     
       11. A pacifier comprising: 
       a nipple including a shaft and a base, the shaft having a tip at one end, the base comprising a flexible membrane and a rim, the membrane having an inner periphery, an outer periphery and a fold located between the inner and outer peripheries, the shaft being attached at its end opposite the tip to the membrane at the inner periphery of the membrane;  
       a bond ring attached to the rim and having an upper surface and a lower surface, the bond ring being substantially planar and having a closed-curve-shape that is symmetrical about a line that connects two diametrically opposed points on the ring, the nipple extending away from the upper surface; and  
       a handle engaging the lower surface of the bond ring, the handle having a grip located inward from the inner periphery of the bond ring.  
     
     
       12. The pacifier of claim  11  further including a plurality of apertures within the membrane, the apertures being spaced apart from the inner and outer peripheries of the membrane. 
     
     
       13. The pacifier of claim  12  wherein each aperture is defined by a flange formed integrally with the membrane, the flange comprising a thickened region of the membrane. 
     
     
       14. The pacifier of claim  11  wherein the membrane includes a fold adjacent the inner periphery of the membrane. 
     
     
       15. The pacifier of claim  14  wherein the fold is generally concentric with the shaft. 
     
     
       16. The pacifier of claim  11  wherein the handle includes a mounting ring adapted to mate with the bond ring, the mounting ring being attached to the bond ring along substantially the entire lengths of the mounting ring and the bond ring. 
     
     
       17. A pacifier comprising: 
       a nipple comprising a tubular shaft, the shaft being closed at one end and having an integrally formed base at the opposite end that comprises a generally arcuate flexible membrane having an outer periphery that forms a rim having a closed-curve ring shape that is symmetrical about at least one line that connects two diametrically opposed points on the rim, the membrane including a fold adjacent to and concentric with the shaft;  
       a bond ring having a ring shape similar to the rim and being attached to the rim along the entire lengths of the bond ring and the rim; and  
       a generally elongate handle having a mounting ring and a grip, the mounting ring having ring-shape similar to the bond ring and rim and being attached to the bond ring and/or the rim along their entire lengths, the grip being generally concentric with the mounting ring and attached at opposite ends thereto at locations on the mounting ring that are generally diametrically opposite one another, the grip being spaced equidistant from the opposite ends and spaced apart from a plane defined by the bond ring in a direction opposite from the closed end of the shaft.  
     
     
       18. The pacifier of claim  17  further comprising a plurality of apertures located within the membrane adjacent the fold, each aperture being defined by a flange formed integrally with the membrane, the flange comprising a thickened region of the membrane. 
     
     
       19. A process of forming a pacifier comprising the steps of: 
       providing a bond ring;  
       providing a handle;  
       forming a nipple, the nipple including a base having an outer periphery defining a rim that is adapted to engage the bond ring and the handle;  
       overmolding the bond ring and the rim to one another; and  
       attaching the handle to the rim.  
     
     
       20. The process of claim  19  wherein the handle comprises a grip and a mounting ring, the grip being located generally concentric with the mounting ring and attached thereto, the mounting ring being welded to the rim along substantially the entire length of the rim.